Talking-machine.



M. S. LEVUSSOVE.

TALKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED Aue.4. 1915.

Patented Sept. 17, 1918.

In ven tor:

Atty- M. s. LEVUSSO'VE.

TALKING MACHINE. 'APPLICATION FILED Aue.-4. 3915.

1,279,375! SHEETS-SHEETZ In 1 911 tor:

rammed Sept. 17,1918.

MOSES STUART LEVUSSOVE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

TALKING-MACHIN E.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Moses STUART LEvUssovn, a citizen of the UnitedStates of America, residing at New York city, in the county and State ofNew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inTalking-Machines, of which the following is a specification. Myinvention relates to phonographs and more particularly to improvementsin a type thereof wherein the sound box is propelled across a record inaccordance with the groove of the record within which are the impressedsound waves.

There are in extensive use at the present time, phonographs of differenttypes havmg in common the essential characteristic of a sound boxpropelled across a record in accordance with the record groove, saidsound box opening into ahorn, amplifier or tone arm having movement withthe sound box. In machinesof the types above referred to, the sound boxis commonly connected to the amplifier, horn or tone arm through ametallic pipe section having a swiveling relation to said amplifier,horn or I I tone arm. It is also a common practice to transmit to thisamplifier sound waves developed upon only one side of the diaphragm. Inthe typesof machine above referred to, the tone arm ordinarily, has aswiveling action so as to cause the sound box, and stylus carriedthereby, to describe an arc in itstravel across the record. This variesthe relation of the stylusand succeeding spiral portions of the groove,which condition tends toward, not only a loss of accuracy in thereproduction, but rapid wear of the record. r

In a machine made in accordance with my invention, the soundbox hasmovement in accordance with the groove of the record having theimpressed'sound waves therein, said sound box,however,ha ving arectilineal movement so that the stylus carried thereby will bear thesame relation to every portion of the spiral groove, thus insuringgreater accuracy in the reproduction and avoiding undue wear of therecord. The sound box is so supported with relation to the amplifier,horn 0r tone arm as to permit this move- Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented Sept, 17, 1918.

Application filed August 4, 1915. Serial No. 43,532.

ment thereof across the record independently of said amplifier, horn ortone-arm which, while the machine is in operation, has no movementacross the record with the sound box. The amplifier, horn or tone armstructure is preferably such as to compensate for variance in the planeof rotation of the record support, or the record thereon. The soundwaves are transmitted from the sound box to the amplifier, horn or tonearm through a supplemental tone arm leading from the sound outletopening of the sound box, said supplemental tone arm having movementwith the sound box. To insure the free movement of the sound box acrossthe record, I mount said supplemental tone arm in anti-frictionbearings, and when sound waves are taken from both sides of thediaphragm mount both supplemental made in accordance with my inventionthat the sound waves developed on both sides of the diaphragm will betransmitted to the am lifier, horn or tone arm, a construction whlch notonly involves the duplication of the tone arm structure but themodification of the sound box in a manner to insure an air chamber ofsubstantially the same capacity upon each side ofthe' diaphragm. Theamplifier, horn or tone arm, the supplemental tone arm and the sound boxare so constructed and related as to prevent-the application ofexcessive weight to the record through the stylus.

When taking sound waves from both sides of the diaphragm, the sound boxand stylus arm are so arranged as to present no such openings in thesupplemental tone arm as will tend to permit the sound waves to passtherethrough before entering the amplifier, horn or tone arm. I alsoprovide a stylus mount which will insure rigidity inthe connection ofthe stylus with the pivotal stylus arm. l

The invention consists in the novel features of construction andcombination of parts hereinafter set forth and described and moreparticularly pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

ment of the sound box d and the arm 7" bearing f and entering said guideways F- This construction also affords an efficient anti-frictionbearing for the arm f., To give the necessary range of movement to thesound box d in traveling across the record, the arm f is elongated, asshown; the section 6 being of sufficient length to permit the necessarytelescopic action of the said arm f in the said section 6.

The tone arm f opens into the section e so as to transmit 'all soundwaves thereinto.

Referring to the drawings Figure 1 is a plan view of a phonographembodying my invention; 1

Fig. 2 is a side elevationthereof;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a portion of one of the tone arms, oneof the supplemental tone arms and the bearings for said supplementaltone arm carried by said main tone arm;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section of the sound box structure;

Fig. 6 is a side view thereof seen from the left of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the sound box; and

Fig. 8 is a detail view of the support for restricting the stress uponthe record from each of the bearlngs f -g 1s a connecting thereproducing mechanism. a bar it for preservlng the alinement of saidLike letters refer to like parts throughout-- bearings. This bar isoffset with relation to the several views. H said bearings to afford aclear field for the In the embodiment of my invention shoiivn sound box03 when traversing the record. in the accompanying drawings, a indicatesalhe support 9" preferably comprises a a cabinet having mounted thereona rotatable record table I) which may be driven in any desired manner. Arecord o of the usual gramophone type is shown on said table.

Mounted above said table in a manner to have rectilineal movement acrossthe record is a sound box d of the gramophone type. This sound box is sosupported as to be propelled across the record a in accordance with therecord groove. The said sound box is provided with the usual vibratoryarm d carrying the stylus or needle point 0V, and connected with thediaphragm d in a manner to impart vibrations thereto.

Carried by the cabinet a'is an amplifier, horn or tone arm consisting ofa bell 6 preferably concealed within said cabinet, and a tapered armhaving substantially par.- allel sections e-=e and a connecting section6 The axis of the section e is perpendicular to the plane of, and inaxial alinement with, the diaphragm d and the section 6 is pivotallymounted with relation to the hell 6 in a manner to permit the raising.or lowering of the sound box for mounting a record upon the table I) orbringing the stylus (Z into engagement with the record.

The sound box 03 is provided with a sound outlet f in communication withthe section e through a supplemental tone arm f slidably mounted in abearing f carried by the said section's. To prevent a rotative moveorslidable tone arm f in the bearing f I provide the side of the sound boxopposite to that from which the arm f extends, with an elongated support9 slidably mounted in a-bearing g the axis of whichis alined with thatof the bearing 7? Rigidly attached to respects to the arm f, theopposite ends thereof communicating with a sound outlet posite to thesound outlet opening f and with the section a" of an amplifier, horn ortone arm, similar to the section 6'.

- The section a" is in axial alinement with .the section 6 and supportsthe bearing'g in the same manner as the said section 6 supports thebearing 7. J

By means of the supplemental tone arm 9, sound waves are transmitted toa second amplifier, horn or tone arm consisting of a bell 2' openingadjacent the bell e, and a tapered arm having a section 2' parallel withthe section 2" and in communication therewith through the section 2' Thesection 2' is pivotally mounted with relation to the bell 2' upon anaxis co-incident with the axis of the pivotal connection between thesection a and the bell c. I provide the bell ewith a mouth section jcommon to both said bells and opening outwardly of. the cabinet vide anamplifier, horn or tone arm mechanism having a single outlet opening andtwo branches communicating respectiveiy with sound outlet openings onopposite sides-of the diaphragm of a sound box. y

In raising or lowering the stylus from the record, both sections ez"have simultaneous similar movement, and the entire amplifier mechanismoperates under identical conditions'so as to constitute inits entirety asingle reproducing mechanism. If desired, one of the amplifiers, hornsor tone arms may bedispensed with, without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention, although I prefer to use two tone arms as shownand described, as I have found that with relation to the bearing f or aresultant variance in the. effective angular relation of the stylus andthe record, I provide means whereby the arm f is restricted to amovement axially thereof. This means preferably comprises one or moreguide ways f in said arm, and ooperating means, as the balls f seated infixed ball cups f carried by the second supplemental tone arm, similarin all To avoid binding of the supplemental opening 9 on the side of thediaphragm opthis construction results not only in greater amplitude, butbetter timbre, in the reproduction.

To secure the results above referred to, I

have found it necessary to so construct the sound box as'to form an aircolumn of equal volume on opposite'sides of the diaphragm 0Z This Ido'by inclosing both sides-of the sound box 'by the parallel walls lc-Z,provided respectively. with the sound outlet openings fg and the nipples7aZ leading therefrom and opening into the supplemental tone arms fgrespectively.

The diaphragm d is spaced away from the wall is the reouisite distancewith its edge suitably supported. Parallel with the diaphragm d andspaced therefrom substantially the .same distance, as the diaphragm d isspaced from the Wall in, is an annulus m, the-opening m of which is ofsubstantially the same size as, and alined with, the sound outlet 0ening g. The'arm d projects through said openin m.

The annulus m is spaced sufliciently away from the wall Z to affordclearance for the free vibration of the arm d, the outer edge of thesound box having an opening n therein, through which the said .arm dpasses. The opening n is so located with relation to the opening m andthe latter opening is so located with relation 'to' the soundoutletopening g, that there is little or no tendency of the sound wavesto pass through said opening n. By this construction, I also avoid anyopenings in the amplifier, hornor tone arm intermediate the diaphragmand the sound outlet The edge of the annulus is suitably packed andinsulated with relation to the SOllIldJ To insure the desired rigidityof the stylus or needle point d with relation to the arm d I providesaid arm with a mount consisting of an enlarged hollow head 0 having asplit end forming jaws o, the exterior of which is tapered and screwthreaded, as shown; and a rotatable sleeve 0 v having screw threadscooperating with those on the a head 0. By this construction, the jawsmay be closed firmly upon the stylus or needle point, and provide acontact surface of sufficient area to avoid any possible lost motionbetween the stylus or needle point and. the

mount. i

If it be found that the weight of the sound box, and the pivotallysupported portions of the amplifiers, horns or tone arms, issufficiently great to have the stylus or needle point bear with too muchforce upon the rec-' -ord, means maybe provided for sustaining a portionof the load of these parts. This means preferably consists of a socket,'p hav inga depressible buffer 12' mounted therein. Acting to normallyraise said bufl'er is a spring 17 The bufler -p' is so positioned as toengage either sections 6 or i when it is lowered to bring the stylus orneedle point into engagement with the record.

The operation of the herein described phonograph is substantiallv asfollows I In the following description of the operation of the hereindescribed phonograph, it

'will be assumed that the double tone arm .structure is used, it beingunderstood, however, as heretofore stated that, if desired, a singletone arm may be employed without departing from thespirit and scope ofthe invention.

When it is desired to place a record 0 upon the rotatable table I), thesound box (Z and its appurtenances are raised together with thepivotallymovable portions of each amplifier, horn or tone arm. When the sound boxis so raised as indicated in dotted lines, Fig. 2,the end of the stylusor needle point may be inserted within the jaws 0 and the sleeve 0so'turned as to clamp said jaws firmly upon said stylus orneedle point.

- A record having been mounted upon said table, the sound box is loweredand the stylus or needle point (5 inserted in the groove of the record.I When it is necessary to use a yielding buffer for sustaining a portionof the load of the sound box. the section 6 will engage the buffer 70before the stylus or needle point engages the record and thus limit thepresvelop sound Waves which will pass direct to ;v the supplemental tonearms f and g and be transmitted therethrough to the sections ei of themain amplifiers, horns or tone arms.

During the rotation of the table 6 and the record 0, carried'thereby,the sound box will travel rectilineally across the record, by reason ofthe arrangement of the supports upon opposite sides of said sound box.

' The bar h will preserve the alinement of these supports. By supportingthe sound box and the supplemental tone arm in the manner described,thestylus or needle point d is maintained at substantially a constant anglewith relation to the record, any fluctuation in the plane of differentportions of the recordbeing compensated for by the pivotal connectionsbetween the sections sa -i and the bells ec'. 1

By using the annulus m with the opening m alin'ed with the sound outletopeningi1 91,

I not only bring the column-of air upon t side of the diaphragm, intoaccord with the column of air upon-the. opposite side of the diaphragmand deliver the sound waves produced between said annulus and thediaphragm to a path which will insure the discharge of substantially allof them through the sound outlet opening 9 but provide clearance for thevibratory arm 03 without forming openings in the supplemental tone arm9.

I have shown and described herein, the application of my invention to agramophone machine wherein the sound box is propelled by and inaccordance with the groove of the record. Itis not my intention,however, to limit the invention to use in connection with this type ofphonograph as it may be readily adapted to other types without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the invention.

It is not my intention to limit the invention to the precise details ofconstruction shown in the accompanying drawings, it being apparent thatsuch may be varied without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention.

Having described the invention what I claim as new and desire to haveprotected by Letters Patent is 1. A phonograph embodying therein arecord support, a fixed bell, a tone arm pivotally mounted in relationto said bell and having a section above and projecting substantiallyparallel with the face of said support, a supplemental tone arm slidablyand nonrotatably mounted in, axially alined with, and opening into, saidtone armsection, a sound box carried by and movable with saidsupplemental tone arm and having the outlet 'openinothereof in axialalinement with said supplemental tone arm and in communicationtherewith, a diaphragm in said sound box, 'a vibratory arm operativelyconnected with "said diaphragm and adapted to support a stylus or needlepoint, a pivotal bearing in axial alinement with and spaced away fromsaid first named tone arm section, an elongated support projecting fromthe side of said sound box oppo-' site to said supplemental 1 tone armand seated in said bearin and movable with said sound box and saidsupplemental tone arm, and means whereby said sound box may be movedaway from said support, or toward said support to bring the stylus orneedle point into engagement with the groove of the record.

2. A phonograph embodying therein a rotatable record support, a fixedbel-l,-a tone arm pivotally mounted in relation to said bell and havinga section above and projecting substantially parallel to the surface ofsaid support, a bearing .carried by said tone arm section, asupplemental tone arm slidably and nonrotatably mounted in said bearing,and axially alined with, and opening into, said tone arm section, asound box carried by and movable with said suppleea ers mental tone armand having the outlet opening thereof in axial alinement with saidsupplemental tone arm and in communication therewith, a diaphragm insaid sound box, a vibratory arm operatively connected with saiddiaphragm and adapted to support a stylus or needle point, a bearing inaxial alinement with and spaced away from said first named bearing, anelongated support projecting from the side of said sound box opposite tosaid supplemental tone arm seated in said bearing and movable with saidsound box and said supplemental tone arm, a distance bar connected tosaid bearings respectively, whereby they will be held in alinement, andmeans whereby said sound box may be moved away from said support, ortoward said support to bring the, stylus or needle point into engagementwith the groove of the record.

3. A phonograph embodying therein a rotatable record support, a fixedbell, a tone arm pivotally mounted in relation to said bell and having asection above and projecting substantially parallel with the face ofsaid support, a supplemental tone arm slidably and nonrotatably mountedin, axially alined with, and opening into, said tone arm section, asound box carried by and movable with said supplemental tone arm andhaving the outlet opening thereof in axial alinement with saidsupplemental tone arm and in communication therewith, a

diaphragm in said sound box, a vibratory arm operatively connected withsaid diaphragm and adapted to support a stylus or needle point, andmeans whereby said sound box may be moved away from said support ortoward said support to bring the stylus or needle point into engagementwith the groove'of the record.

4. A phonograph embodying therein a traveling record support, a fixedbell, a tone arm pivotally mounted in relation to said bell and having asection above and projecting substantially parallel with the face ofsaid support, a bearing carried by said tone arm section, ball cupscarried by said bearing, a ball mounted in each of said ball cups, asupplemental tone arm having elongated guide ways therein cooperatingwith said balls whereby said supplemental tone arm is slidably andnonrotatably mounted in said bearing, said supplemental tone arm beingaxially alined with, and opening into, said tone arm section, a soundbox carried by and movable with said supplemental tone arm and havingthe outlet openin thereof in communication therewith, a diap ragm insaid sound box, a vibratory arm operatively connected with saiddiaphragm and adapted to support a stylus or needle point, a pivotalbearing in axial alinement with and spaced away from said first namedbearing,- ball cups carried by said bearing, a ball mounted in each ofsaid ball cups, an' elongated support carried by and movable with saidsound box, said support having guide slots thereini vcooperating withsaid last named bearing balls whereby said support is slidably mountedin said bearing, a distance bar connected to said bearings respectivelywhereby they will-be held in alinement, and means whereby said sound boxmay be moved away from said support, or toward said support to bring thestylus or needle point into engagement with the groove of the record.

5. A phonograph embodying therein a rotatable record support, a fixedbell, a tone arm comprising a movable portion consisting of parallelsections one of which is pivotally connectedwith said bell and the otherof which is above and projects substantially parallel with the face ofsaid support and an intermediate section connecting said parallelsections, a supplemental tone arm slidably and nonrotata'bly mounted in,axially alinedwith, and opening into, said tone arm section, a sound boxcarried by and movable with said supplemental tone arm and having theoutlet opening thereof in axial-alinement with said supplemental tonearm and incom'munication phragm in said sound box and a vibratory armoperatively connected with said diaphragm and adapted. to support astylus or needle-point. -f a 6. A phonograph embodying therein arotatable record support, an amplifier having a plurality of likebranches, a

ivotall connected with each of said bran'c es, sai tone arms eachhaving'a section above and projectin substantially parallel with theface of sai support, said sections being in axial alinement one with theother,

a plurality of supplemental tone arms slid ably and nonrotatably mountedin, axially alined with and opemng into said tone arm sectionsrespectively, a sound box carried by and movable with said supplementaltone arms and having jan 'outlet "opening upon opposite sides thereof incommunication with said supplemental tone arms respectively, a diaphragmin said sound box vibratory stylusor needle point and means said'soundsaid support, or toward said sup'ortto' therewith, a dia-' tone '-.phragm in said sound box,

oint into engagee record.

tion' above and projecting substantially parallel with the face ofsections being in axial alinement one with the other, axially alinedbearings carried by said sections respectively a plurality ofsupplemental tone arms shdably and nonrotatably mounted in said bearingsrespectively, said supplemental tone arms being axially alined with andopening into said sald support, said tone arm sections respectively, asound box carried by and movable with said supplemental tone arms anding upon opposite sides thereof in communication with saidsupplementaltone arms respectively, a diaphragm in said sound box, a vibratory armoperatively connected with said diaphragm and adapted to support astylus or needle point, and means whereby said sound-box may be movedaway from said support, or toward said support, to bring the stylus'orneedle point into engagement with the 'groove of the record.

8. A phonograph embodying therein a rotatable record support, a tone armcomprising a fixed portion and a movable portion pivotally'connectedtherewith, said last- .a section prqecting' named portion havingsubstantially parallel with the face of said support, a supplementaltone arm slidably and nonrotatay mounted in, axiall ahned with, andopemng into said movale tone arm ortion, asound ox carried by and mova1e with said supplemental tone arm and having the outlet opening thereofin axial alinement with said supplementaltone arm and in communicationtherewith a diaand a vibratory arm operatively connected phragm andadapted to support a stylus or Kneedle point;

'In testimony whereof I have ed my v a signature in presence-of twowitnesses. arm operatively connected with;

said diaphragm and adaptedto support a; whereby box may be movedawayafrom MOSES STUART LEVUSSOVE. Witnesses: l OrroMmsx,-

. CLARKE with said dia-,

having an outlet open.

